Improvement in stereotype-blocks



.l. L. FIRM.

Stereotype-Block.

Patented Oct. 19,1875.

d/wy/ UNITED STATES PATENT Qrrxoa.

JOSEPH L. FIRM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.. ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO CALVERT B. COTTRELL AND NATHAN BABCOCK, OF WEbTER-LY, R. I.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEREOTVPE-BLOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. "$8.977, dated October 19, 1875; application filed September 7, 1675.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatv l, JOSEPH L. FIRM, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Stereotype-Blocks tor-Curved Printing-Plates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing, which forms part of this specification.

Ordinarily the blocks used to carry curved stereotype and electrotype plates on the printing-cylinder of cylinder printing-presses have been setup by furniture and slugs in between them to give the required margin. Such blocks, when made up, are virtually stationary, which is equivalent to fastening the plates themselves to the surface of the printing-cylinder. This does not provide, after the blocks have been made up, for the adjustment of the plates on the printing-cylinder in ditl'erent directions to suit different sizes or changes in the sizes of the plates, so as to secure perfect registering.

My invention consists in an adjustable block of novel construction for curved printingplates, whereby the plates, without disturbing them on their blocks, may be readily and expeditiously adjusted after the blocks have been made up on the cylinder. To this end the blocks are slotted and notched, and held to the cylinder by screws passing through the notches or slots in the blocks, thus dis pensing With all bands or rings of furniture.

Figure 1 represents a longitudinal view of the form-cylinder of a printing-press with one of my improved adjustable blocks thereon. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same 011 the line or an.

A is the form or printing cylinder of a cylinder printing-press, and B the adjustable block on which the curved printing-plate S is held by the usual clamps and dogs 0.

Any number of such blocks may be set up around the cylinder, according to thenumber of plates it is desired to print from during each otation of the cylinder; but the several blocks should be spaced apart, so to provide for their independent adjustment in different directions.

These blocks B are each made with a longitudinal slot, 1), through them, along or near its two or opposite edges, and with notches d, which may be of varying depth, in the inner edges of such slotted portions.

By this construction of the blocks, the same may not merely be held to their places on the cylinder by simple screws f, but by varying the position of said screws in the cylinder along the slots 1), and in'dilferent relation with the notches d on opposite edges of the block B, the most accurate adjustmentpf' the blocks,

either lengthwise of the cylinder, or in a circular direction around it, and, consequently, a corresponding adjustment of the plate carried by the block, is attainable with facility and dispatch. Furthermore, the drag on the plate or its block, as the cylinder is revolved, will always be against the screws f, so that the plate b will be as steadily held as if it were fastened to the cylinder.

1 claim- A block, B, designed to carry a curved printing-plate, provided with slots 1) and notches 01 along its opposite marginal portions or edges, sub itantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

) JOSEPH L. FIRM. Witnesses:

lVIIOHAEL RYAN, BENJAMIN W. HOFFMAN. 

